Fan housing and wire clipping mechanism thereof

ABSTRACT

A fan housing includes a first frame and a second frame. The first frame includes a clip member protruding toward the second frame, and a limit member connected with the clip member. The limit member has a slot along the outer wall of the first frame so that a wire can pass through the slot. The second frame includes an engaging member corresponding to the clip member and having a recess to be engaged with the clip member. When the first and second frames are combined, the wire will be securely fastened in the slot.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 095212494 filed in Taiwan, Republic of China on Jul. 17, 2006, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The invention relates to a fan housing and, in particular, to a fan housing and wire clipping mechanism for fixing a wire.

2. Related Art

The fans are commonly used to dissipate heat of electronic devices. As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional fan 1 includes an impeller 11, a fan housing 12 and a motor (not shown) for driving the impeller 11. The impeller 11 has a plurality of blades 111 and is connected with the motor. The impeller 11 and motor are disposed in the fan housing 12. A wire 13, which passes through the fan housing 12, is used to electrically connect the motor to exterior.

To prevent the wire 13 from unfixing or moving as the fan 1 is operating, the conventional fan housing 12 has a fixer 121 for fixing the wire 13 between the fixer 121 and the fan housing 12. However, the fixer 121 is simply a hook, so the wire 13 is possibly moved or unfastened from the fixer 121. When the fan 1 is assembled and an external force is easily applied to pull the wire 13, the solder joint for connecting the wire 13 and a circuit board may be consequently broken. Moreover, if the fan 1 has been installed in a system, the vibration of the system may also cause the break of the solder joint for connecting the wire 13 and the circuit board. In such cases, the reliability and lifetime of the fan 1 are definitely decreased. To avoid this problem, the fixer 121 may be applied with glue to adhere the wire 13. This solution, however, needs more time and works. In addition, if the glue is applied at wrong location, the yield of the product decreases and thus the cost increases.

Therefore, it is an important subject to provide a fan and a fan housing thereof, which can avoid the break of the solder joint by securely fixing the wire without increasing the manufacturing cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, the invention is to provide a fan and a fan housing thereof, which can securely fasten the wire without increasing the manufacturing cost so as to avoid the break of the solder joint.

To achieve the above, the invention discloses a fan housing including a first frame and a second frame. The first frame includes a first clipping mechanism disposed at the outer wall of the first frame. The first clipping mechanism has a clip member and a limit member connected with the clip member. The clip member protrudes toward the second frame, and the limit member has a slot along the outer wall of the first frame. The second frame includes a second clipping mechanism disposed on the outer wall of the second frame. The second clipping mechanism is positioned corresponding to the first clipping mechanism and has an engaging member and a blocking member. The engaging member has a recess for receiving a part of the clip member. The blocking member extends from the outer wall of the second frame toward the limit member. When the first frame and the second frame are combined to form the fan housing, the limit member, the clip member and the engaging member form a fixing space for securely fixing a wire.

As mentioned above, the fan housing of the invention has a limit member, clip member and an engaging member to cooperatively generate a fixing force for pushing the entire first clipping mechanism toward the blocking member. The fixing force can securely fasten the wire between the first clipping mechanism and the fan housing. Compared with the prior art, the fan of the invention can securely fasten the wire between the first clipping mechanism, the second clipping mechanism and the fan housing so that the solder joint will not break. In addition, the first and second clipping mechanisms and the corresponding fan frames can be integrally formed as a single piece, so the fan housing can fasten the wire securer without increasing the manufacturing cost.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below illustration only, and thus is not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional fan;

FIG. 2 is an exploded diagram of a fan housing according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a first clipping mechanism and a second clipping mechanism of the fan housing shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the assembled fan housing according to the embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged diagram of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same references relate to the same elements.

With reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a fan housing 2 according to an embodiment of the invention includes a first frame 21 and a second frame 22 combined with the first frame 21. The first frame 21 includes a first clipping mechanism 211 disposed at the outer wall of the first frame 21. The first clipping mechanism 211 has a clip member 211 a and a limit member 211 b connected with the clip member 211 a. The clip member 211 a protrudes toward the second frame 22. The limit member 211 b has a slot 211 c along the outer wall of the first frame 21. In more particular, one end of the clip member 211 a near the second frame 22 is an inclined structure 211 d. The clip member 211 a and the limit member 211 b can be connected by any means. In practice, the clip member 211 a and the limit member 211 b can be integrally formed as a single piece. Of course, the first clipping mechanism 211 can be integrally formed with the first frame 21 as a single piece.

The second frame 22 includes a second clipping mechanism 221 disposed on the outer wall of the second frame 22 corresponding to the first clipping mechanism 211. The second clipping mechanism 221 has an engaging member 221 a and a blocking member 221 b. The engaging member 221 a has a recess 221 c for receiving a part of the clip member 211 a. The blocking member 221 b extends axially from the outer wall of the second frame 22 toward the limit member 221 b. In practice, the second clipping mechanism 221 can be integrally formed with the second frame 22 as a single piece.

The fan housing 2 further includes at least one engaging member 23 and at least one protrusion 24. In this embodiment, the engaging member 23 is disposed on the outer wall of the second frame 22, and the protrusion 24 is disposed on the outer wall of the first frame 21 corresponding to the engaging member 23, or vice versa.

Referring to FIGS. 4 to 6, when the first frame 21 and the second frame 22 are combined, the engaging member 23 is engaged with the protrusion 24. At the same time, the clip member 211 a of the first clipping mechanism 211 is engaging with the engaging member 221 a of the second clipping mechanism 221. In more detail, to combine the first frame 21 and the second frame 22, the inclined structure 211 d is elastically deformed for guiding the clip member 211 a to be inserted into the recess 221 c of the engaging member 221 a. The blocking member 221 b is simultaneously entering into the slot 211 c of the limit member 211 b so as to form a fixing space.

Therefore, when a wire 3 of the fan for being electrically connected to exterior is installed in the fan housing 2, the limit member 211 b, clip member 211 a and engaging member 221 a can cooperatively generate a fastening force to push the entire first clipping mechanism 211 toward the blocking member 3 so that the fastening force can securely fasten the wire 3 between the first clipping mechanism 211 and the fan housing 2. In addition, means for connecting the first clipping mechanism 211 and the second clipping mechanism 221 is not limited to the above mentioned method. In practice, the first clipping mechanism 211 and the second clipping mechanism 221 can be connected by hooking or wedging.

In summary, the fan of the invention, compared with the prior art, can securely fasten the wire between the first clipping mechanism and the fan housing Such that the solder joint will not break due to the unfastened wire. In addition, the first and second clipping mechanisms and the corresponding fan frames can be integrally formed as a single piece, so the fan housing can fasten the wire securer without increasing the manufacturing cost.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover all modifications that fall within the true scope of the invention. 

1. A fan housing comprising: a first frame comprising a clip member and a limit member connected with the clip member, wherein the limit member has a slot; and a second frame comprising an engaging member, wherein the engaging member has a recess corresponding to the clip member for being coupled with the clip member, and when the first frame and the second frame are combined, the limit member, the clip member and the engaging member form a fixing space.
 2. The fan housing according to claim 1, wherein the clip member protrudes toward the second frame.
 3. The fan housing according to claim 2, wherein one end of the clip member near the second frame is an inclined structure.
 4. The fan housing according to claim 2, wherein the clip member is elastically deformed for being inserted into the recess of the engaging member.
 5. The fan housing according to claim 2, wherein the limit member and the clip member are integrally formed as a single piece.
 6. The fan housing according to claim 1, wherein the limit member is integrally formed with the first frame as a single piece.
 7. The fan housing according to claim 1, wherein a part of the clip member is disposed in the recess.
 8. The fan housing according to claim 1, wherein the engaging member is integrally formed with the second frame as a single piece.
 9. The fan housing according to claim 1, wherein the limit member has a slot along an outer wall of the first frame, and the second frame further comprises a blocking member extending from the second frame toward the slot.
 10. The fan housing according to claim 9, wherein the blocking member is integrally formed with the second frame as a single piece.
 11. The fan housing according to claim 1, further comprising at least one another engaging member and at least one protrusion, both of which are optionally disposed on the first frame and the second frame, respectively.
 12. A wire clipping mechanism disposed on a fan housing, the wire clipping mechanism comprising: a first clipping structure disposed on the fan housing and having a clip member and a limit member connected with the clip member; and a second clipping structure having an engaging member and disposed on the fan housing corresponding to the first clipping structure, wherein the clip member protrudes toward the engaging member, and the engaging member has a recess to be engaged with the clip member.
 13. The wire clipping mechanism according to claim 12, wherein one end of the clip member has an inclined structure.
 14. The wire clipping mechanism according to claim 13, wherein the clip member is elastically deformed for being inserted into the recess of the engaging member.
 15. The wire clipping mechanism according to claim 14, wherein a part of the clip member is disposed in the recess.
 16. The wire clipping mechanism according to claim 15, wherein the limit member has a along an outer wall of the fan housing, and the second clipping structure further comprises a bengaging member extending from the fan housing toward the slot.
 17. The wire clipping mechanism according to claim 12, wherein the clip member and the limit member are integrally formed as a single piece. 